Mr. PARKER (for Mr. John Ward):asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been drawn to the delay of about one month between the application and the registration of designs by the Patents Office; whether this delay is due to insufficient staffing of the Comptroller's Department; and whether, in view of the importance to pottery manufacturers of immediate production of latest 576 designs, he will take such steps as may be necessary to secure more rapid registration?
§ The PRESIDENT of the BOARD of TRADE (Mr. Churchill)I have made inquiry in regard to the allegations of delay in the registration of designs at the Patent Office. I am informed that there was recently a considerable increase in the number of applications which threw the work temporarily into arrear. Steps were immediately taken to bring the work up to date, and they have already resulted in a marked diminution of the arrears. It is hoped that in this way all grounds for complaint will be speedily removed without any further increase of the existing staff.